More than 50,000 persons were diagnosed with Covid-19 on Tuesday in Kerala , said Veena George, Minister of Health. Addressing a specially convened media conference at capital city, the minister said the transmission of the pandemic was more in the youth (those in the age group of 20 to 30).
With many doctors, nurses and paramedical staff testing positive in the State, the minister said the situation was a challenge. Test Positivity Rate was 49. 4 pre sent as on Tuesday evening, said the minister
Later in a media release, the minister said that 55,475 persons were diagnosed with Covid-19 in Kerala out of the 1.12 lakh samples tested during the last 24 hours. Veena had said last week that the number pf patients would peak by January 23 and then there would be a respite.
The death toll till date due to the pandemic reached 52, 141, said the minister. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is undergoing treatment in a US hospital asked the people in the State not to panic. “There is nothing to panic about. All you need is a little bit of caution. We have the best medical health care system which is always at your finger tips,” said the chief minister in a message sent from the US to the people in Kerala.
The Chief Minister also asked the people not to crowd the hospitals if they were diagnosed with Covid-19. “All you have to do is to stay indoors and be safe,” said Vijayan.
Minister Veena said the Department of Health would launch a massive awareness programme across the State to remove all kinds of reservations and apprehensions from the mind of the people. She also disclosed that district health officials would get in touch with private hospitals which refuse to admit Covid-19 patients. The minister said the sudden spurt in the number of cases was on account of the Omicron variant.
Doctors in Government service told The Pioneer that people planning to visit Kerala should postpone their travel plans to another date as it was not safe to be in the State at this time. “ I am not confident of the safety assured by face masks and sanitizers. Think seriously before you embark on a journey to the State as there are Covid-19 afflicted persons walking freely along the roads and frequent hotels and restaurants,” said a senior Government doctor.
Conceding to the demand made by the Government doctors to appoint more health workers, Veena George said the administration would soon launch a Covid Brigade of more than 4,000 workers across the State to tackle the pandemic.